Ends and Means
by Awdures
Summary: The Knothole Freedom Fighters discover that Robotnik has located a power source of unlimited energy - the Chaos Emeralds. Their only chance is to reach them first, but the Emeralds' Guardian does not intend to make it easy. For either side.
1. Chapter 1

**I tend to feel Sonic stories ought to have a 'version of reality' explanation attached to them, there's so many variations of canon. This one starts out in the world of SatAM and since I was always disappointed that Knuckles never made it into that series, is my attempt to 'fix' that! **

**Where SatAM offers no opinion on such things as Chaos Emeralds, I do tend to mentally default to Fleetway's version of affairs but no prior knowledge of that continuity is required.**

**Also, a thanks is due to the beta for this fic, Bruce Pendragon who helped untangle my more confused moments, and pointed out the places where I'd carelessly assumed my readers could read my mind ;-) If you've not read his stuff -- do it. Wonderful SatAM. (And to Starfire201 for spotting that the upload process had stripped out my section breaks somehow!)**

* * *

"Go, Sonic!" Sally yelled, as the laser fire sizzled around them. The bellow was unnecessary. The hedgehog was already moving. He snatched her into his arms, and streaked around the corner so fast his sneakers skittered several clear metres up the concrete wall.

Sonic swerved, dodging down a side street, then dropping down into a now empty watercourse. This had been the riverside once, an upmarket area where the old waterfront warehouses which had once fed a healthy trade, had long since been converted into plush apartments popular with those residents who fancied themselves of an artistic bent.

Now the riverbed was empty, the water diverted to feed some turbine or dam of Robotnik's making. It had become instead an obstacle course of discarded rubbish and broken technology.

An obstacle course which Sonic was far, far better at than the pursuing swatbots.

Out of the direct line of sight of the swatbots, the noise of weapons fire died behind them but now they faced the new problem of getting out of the city. Any pretence at stealth was long gone and the bots behind them would have reinforcements mustering at the boundaries.

The boundaries where Bunnie and Antoine were waiting to rendezvous.

Sally struggled against the rushing wind of their speed to reach her communicator and then had to shout into it to have any chance of being heard.

"Bunnie, we're coming in, we're coming in hot, swatbots on our heels!"

"I hear you, Sally-girl!" came back the answer promptly – almost as though Bunnie had been waiting for exactly that piece of bad news. "We'll set you up a little welcoming party here."

Before Sally could begin to explain that she'd intended, 'get clear' rather than 'get ready', the sounds of pursuit increased so rapidly that further conversation became impossible. There wasn't even time to suggest to Sonic that they seek a different route.

Sally felt the acceleration as Sonic cast a glance over his shoulder, said one word, "Pods," and sped up even further. As the empty apartment block they'd chosen as a fallback position flashed past, she heard a second round of firing open up. She resisted the urge to duck or flinch, not wanting to upset Sonic's balance and pace.

When the hedgehog yelled and leapt back onto the bank, she looked up.

"Company, Sal!" he crowed.

Sally risked a look around, and indeed the new blasts were coming not from behind but from the broken windows of the apartments. Not only that, but further shots were coming from the old warehouse on the opposite side of the riverbed and the swatbots were falling. How Bunnie and Ant had moved so fast to set up the ambush Sally had no idea. Even Sonic gave an appreciative whistle as a final loud crash marked the destruction of the pod.

A brief, incongruous silence fell, then Bunnie led the others in a charge out of the buildings.

"What d'ya say we scoot before their buddies show up?" she drawled, looking justifiably pleased with herself.

"Bunnie, that was past cool!" Sonic grinned.

"Why thank you, sugarhog," Bunnie smiled, "But only 'past' not 'way past'?"

Sonic smirked but his reply was pre-empted by Antoine who was fidgeting nervously.

"Should we not be moving from here now?"

"We should " Sally said firmly, back on her own feet. "We've had good luck. Let's not push it."

"I take it good luck means you got it then?" Bunnie asked.

In answer Sally held up a small memory chip.

"I got it."

* * *

Back in Knothole, the group stared at Nicole's findings in undisguised disappointment.

"This has to be old data," Sally said. "A Floating Island, gems with special powers, a guardian..."

"Been there, done that," Sonic with an exaggerated yawn. "So why's Robuttnik's gone chasing off after it? It's not like we had any great success with those supposed-to-be-so-great Time Stones last time was it?"

He adopted a mock-lecturing pose and ticked the points off on his fingers.

"One, we spend all day flapping around with Dulcy trying to find the place. Two, we crashland when we do find it. Three, we get chased chased _off_ again by giant stone dogs with wings. Four, we get asked some gobbledegook riddle. Five, we end up running round after our five-year-old selves, trying to stop Robotnik and making no difference whatsoever."

He ran out of breath, and scowled. "Waste of time."

Sally sighed. "Maybe."

Nicole chimed in. _"In fact the data does not mention the Time Stones but refers instead to 'Chaos Emeralds'. There are other discrepancies. Enough differences to suggest this might be a separate and distinct site."_

Sonic pulled a face, "Oh yeah, right, like there's going to be _two_ islands floating around in mid air..."

_"That would indeed be unlikely. More probable is that both sites -- if both exist -- are products of the same civilisation. Perhaps both products of the same attempt to create this power source claimed by the data."_

Sally frowned as she gave that some consideration.

Sonic shrugged. "If you say so. So what's the plan, Sal?"

Sally thought a moment, then decided. "Robotnik is gone from the city. He thinks there's something in this, even if it's not clear quite what. If he wants it, then I want him not to get it. The plan's the same We go after him."

Sonic nodded willingly, but Bunnie hesitated.

"You don't think we'd be better taking advantage of Robotnik being gone from the city? There's a lot we could try with him outta the way..."

"I thought about it. But we decided to go after him before we even knew what he was chasing. I don't think this changes that. He might even have more data on how likely this all is than we do. We've got to assume the worst."

She looked again at the data in front of her. "If even half of what's claimed for these Chaos Emeralds is true... We can't take the chance."

Sally looked around for other objections, and found none. "Fit to fly, Dulcy?"

"Always," the dragon grinned.

Behind his hand, Antoine muttered, "The flying is not being the hard part."

Sally gave him a quelling look. "We leave as soon as everyone gets their gear together. Ant, Rotor, you stay. Just because Robotnik's out of town doesn't mean nothing can go wrong here. I don't know if we'll be in range of the communicators for long, but you can try in an emergency."

"Uh, and which way are we actually going?" Dulcy asked.

"We've got the spy camera footage of Robotnik leaving. I know it's not much to go on, but we'll take our bearing from that for now. I suspect he doesn't have much tolerance for detours. Odds are good, if he's got a location he'll take a straight line to get there. Any questions?"

Sonic bounced on his toes, already impatient to start, but there was no other response.

"Good."

* * *

The silence and the late afternoon light lent a tranquil air to Angel Island. The quiet was barely broken by the steady footfalls of its Guardian and protector as he loped easily across the grass, scanning alertly about him as he went.

Knuckles was careful never to get into a routine that might be exploited, but he quartered the Island daily for any sign of intruders. He'd made one complete circuit of the flatter ground near the rim, already. If any intruder arrived by air that was the most likely landing spot. He'd found no sign, so now turned inland.

The thick turf beneath his feet added spring to his step, a welcome help as the slope steepened. The day was past its hottest, but yet to cool significantly. He reached the top of the slope where the ground abruptly dropped away into a cliff and without slowing leapt from the edge. Flaring his spines, he caught the warm updraft from the plains and let it him carry him in a gentle, gliding descent.

The air on his face dried the sweat he'd worked up on the run and he surveyed the area below comfortably. The air was still and slightly muggy. Empty, save for a faint pall of smoke smearing the horizon out towards Lava Reef. The volcano had been more active lately. He should probably head over there once his circuit of the Island was complete. Some of the old devices still gave warning of its state and might give him a better idea of whether it was anything to be more than usually concerned about.

At first Knuckles thought the flash of silver was just a trick of the heat haze. The second time it happened he changed his direction, turning towards Lave Reef and sweeping his gaze across the sky. Searching for the source of that flicker. Perhaps it was merely the light catching a piece of debris caught in the rising air but he felt his heart rate quicken, and a intense focus descended on him as he stared around.

His mind raced. If it was an enemy, an intruder, what was the best course? Should he stay gliding here, try to locate it? Was he visible? Should he descend? Get on the ground and approach from cover? He'd skirted the fringes of the zone only the day before and seen no trace so he hadn't gone deeper. How long had the intruder, if it was one, been there? What weapons or defences might they have? Surely they couldn't have gotten too far in. The wards and traps were obstacle enough, even without the abnormally high lava level recently.

The third time he saw the speck there was no doubt. No trick of the light. The silver gleam didn't fade this time. Instead it grew. Now recognisably a device of some kind. Now clearly a flying craft. Now -- too close! Realisation hit Knuckles at the same time as the noise from the machine. It was approaching at an alarming rate. Whether he'd been seen or not he was about to get rammed.

He tucked his spines close, spilling the air trapped there, and dropped instantly from glide to free-fall. He caught a glimpse of the machine, blocky and ungraceful, as it hurtled above him, then had to return all his attention to landing. He flared his spines with seconds to go and hit the ground hard, crumpling as he touched down to break the fall as best he could.

He rolled onto his back and lay breathless for a whole minute or more, looking up at the craft he'd so narrowly missed. It had slowed and was moving back in his direction. Not in a straight line but a weaving -- searching-- pattern. Whoever was flying knew they'd almost hit him and was looking for him. Knuckles doubted it was out of concern for his well being.

He forced himself to move. There was the forest and plenty of thick undergrowth nearby, he could at least get out of sight from the air while he considered his next move.

Muscles and bruises protested as he scrambled to his feet and ran, in a stumbling crouch to the treeline. Just inside the forest, he found cover and ducked down to watch as the craft approached. It slowed and zigzagged over the spot he'd fallen, and he knew he'd left a trail of trampled grass and plantlife in his scramble for cover.

Still, there was a lot of forest, no reason to run from his hiding place just yet. He watched more closely, trying to identify the craft's power source, weaponry, potential targets for attack. It was hovering on jets of some kind. Knocking one of those out would probably be sufficient to make it uncontrollable. They were poorly defended too. Below, and slightly out of the line of fire of the laser canon mounted on the craft. Knuckles waited for his moment.

Waited too long, he realised, in the instant the craft drew back and a hatch opened to release dozens of smaller, rotund, ugly little flyers that immediately set about searching the bushes. Knuckles swore and broke from cover. He could handle any of them, possibly even all, but not while dodging the weapons of the larger craft as well. His only chance was ambush and taking out the larger craft first, and for that he needed cover. Ducking and weaving among the trees, Knuckles ran for it. Perhaps he could lead the smaller craft off and double back.

He realised that this too was a mistake when the first firebomb landed, feet away from him. It soaked a nearby bush in something acrid smelling and immediately burst into flame. It spread rapidly. So rapidly in fact, that after doing their work, even the devices themselves withdrew.

Knuckles glanced around, feeling the air thicken with smoke, his breath starting to catch and the heat becoming oppressive. The edge of the forest was still close, he hadn't come far, but the larger craft still waited there, and he was not about to be flushed from cover to be shot like some frightened, witless grouse.

He broke into a steady, ground-eating lope, picking the clearest route through the forest that was rapidly becoming an inferno. If he cut across diagonally he could find the edge that opened onto the lake and Hydrocity. From there he could regroup and come up with some way to stop this.

* * *

Sonic yawned, loudly and conspicuously.

"Are we nearly there yet?"

"Yes," said Sally.

The hedgehog perked up. "Really?"

"No."

Sonic deflated. "Very funny."

"Well stop asking then!" Sally sounded exasperated. She had cause, it must have been the fifth similar question in the past half an hour. "How do I know if we're nearly there yet, when we don't even know where we're going?"

"How do we even know Robotnik came this way anyway?"

This was also not a new question and Sally's answer was just as blunt.

"We don't."

Sonic grumbled to himself but sank back and continued to wait.

Dulcy squinted ahead. "Hey, guys. Don't get too excited, but I think I see something.

Sonic shifted quickly, causing the dragon to shift and protest.

"Where?" he asked, enthusiastically.

Dulcy pointed. "Smoke,"

Sonic snorted. "Yeah right, or a cloud."

Dulcy shook her head firmly. "It's not cloud."

She was proved right only moments later when Sally said, "I think she's right. I can see something too. Smoke, and something darker. Could be land."

Bunnie, who'd been the only one who'd managed to nap during the flight now joined them in looking out.

"You're in luck sugar-hog," she drawled. "I think we _are_ nearly there..."

* * *

Reluctantly, Knuckles had been forced to slow to a walk, struggling for breath in the smoky air. The flames were all around now -- even overhead, racing through the canopy, leaping from tree to tree where the upper leaves mingled. Branches had started to fall and the noise was incredible, not just from the roaring flames, but the creaking of branches and trunks, popping and spitting.

All thoughts of a short dash, cutting the corner of the forest to double back on his attackers, were abandoned. All of a sudden, simply getting out again -- anywhere-- was what mattered, and even that required a circuitous route to avoid the thickest flames, and detour around fallen and burning plantlife.

Knuckles had been turned back and around so many times that even his normally reliable sense of direction was faltering. The familiar paths were gone and the flames and smoke made the light strange and stripped the directional cues that sunlight would have provided. The urge to stop to catch his breath was getting harder to ignore, but he knew that would be the beginning of the end. Stubbornly, he continued to put one foot in front of the other, trying not to reflect on how much time it was taking. Too much time.

Maybe by now there _was_ no way out left at all. The sudden mental image of the flames closing around the border of the forest spurred him momentarily into a jog, but he was unable to sustain it and dropped back to a walk, gasping.

He was so focused on simply breathing that the sounds around him became barely noticeable. He didn't hear the hiss of burning sap or the warning popping and snapping. He _did_ hear the almighty crack as a branch overhead finally gave. Heard in time to move, though not far enough. He flung himself away and the heavy bough which would have smashed his skull instead landed across one leg.

Even if he'd known how narrow that escape was, it would have been little comfort. The flames leapt and danced and jumped greedily along the branch and the smell of burnt fur was added to the general reek. Knuckles shrieked, unable to contain himself, as he batted at the flames and tore at the branch and yanked at his trapped leg. It might have taken seconds or long minutes thrashing in panic and pain before he freed himself and rolled clear, beating out the flickering flames on the dry ground where he fetched up.

His chest heaved but he could drag no more oxygen from the choked air, and when he forced himself to his feet, his knee twisted painfully and almost spilled him back to the ground. He righted himself through sheer willpower but things had gone far enough. He was the Guardian and could not die in here like this. Could not leave the Master Emerald unprotected. Most certainly could not leave it to be found by whoever it was had done this.

There _was_ an alternative. He used it rarely. The power was dangerous, and addictive, but it was there when truly needed. He reached out, seeking with his mind for the touch of that familiar power, letting it fill him, letting it take -- for now -- the pain of burns, torn muscles, scorched lungs. Letting it give back instead the energy, the strength he'd need to defend it.

Another flickering light was added to the dancing flames that filled the forest. Knuckles the Echidna, the Guardian, _glowed. _His stance became more sure, no longer precariously balancing his weight on one good leg. Then, without hesitating or pausing for direction, he ran. He ran straight and unfaltering, and fire and undergrowth were no obstacle. He would find who had done this, he would stop them and then...

He'd worry about "then" when it came. For now, he ran.


	2. Chapter 2

Dulcy glided in over the Island and all three of her passengers tensed apprehensively.

Sally broached the subject first.

"Um. Where are you planning to land, Dulcy?"

Dulcy shrugged -- quite a feat while flying and before she could answer Sonic interrupted.

"Well we know where Robuttnik landed..." He pointed. Ahead and below, a large forest was in flames. Hoverbots patrolled the outer edges and swatbots marched up and down. Sally and Bunnie joined Sonic in leaning forwards to look.

"Now what do y'all suppose those there bots are a-waiting for?"

"I don't know," Sally answered, "But I doubt it's anything good." The burning forest unsettled her. Robotnik had not gone to that extreme back home. Not _yet_ at any rate.

Sonic fidgeted, "Well let's find _out_ already! Dulce, land there... We can take those hover-heads!"

"Sally?" Dulcy asked, uncertainly.

Sally hesitated but then nodded firmly. "Yes. Whatever Robotnik's doing, we need to stop it. There might be people down there." She carefully didn't say, _"in there,"_ the thought was too horrible, and there was likely to be too little they could do about it.

"You got it," Dulcy said cheerfully. She drew in her wings and dropped, levelling out just above the ground and careening into a whole row of the nearest bots.

"Best use of one of your landings yet," Sonic grinned. "But you haven't left any for us..."

"I don't expect they'll be long in coming," Sally said, not sharing his enthusiasm. She took a few steps towards the forest, but the heat was intense and she stepped back.

"Why would he do this? How could it help?"

Bunnie shrugged, "I guess if he's lookin' for something, it's just a sight quicker to search through dead trees than go rummaging in the undergrowth."

"Well there's nothing else to do here," Sonic said, "Let's move, already."

"Hang on a sec," Bunnie twitched a long ear. "Someone's coming."

Sally cast about for cover. "Bots?"

"I can't tell. But..." Bunnie pointed. "They're coming from in there."

"Bots then," Sally said, "No one could be alive in there." Her voice was doubtful and the others looked at her expectantly. Sonic shifted his backpack and twisted his head round to glance at the glow just visible from the Power Ring inside. He turned back to watch Sally. He might be impatient but even he waited for her to give the word -- run or fight.

"Get ready," she said. "But we wait and see."

* * *

Knuckles took only moments for appraisal as he reached the edge of the forest. There were figures there, dim shapes through the smoke. Metal gleamed on the ground behind them -- their flying craft he presumed, red on black in the firelight. Knuckles spared each a glance. The hedgehog and the squirrel he dismissed as threats immediately. Neither appeared armed and although the hedgehog carried a pack it would be hard to draw a weapon from it quickly.

The rabbit, strangely equipped and clad in metal, would need due consideration. And then there was the dragon. He'd have to attack there first, or taking out the others would be meaningless.

He left the treeline at a run, heading for the dragon. He leapt into the air, and the hot wind feeding the flames swept him up. His glide for a moment became true soaring as he swiped at the dragon's head. Someone shouted, and the beast roared and reared back. Knuckles twisted to avoid the flailing head as the creature lost its balance and crashed down on its side, one wing awkwardly curled underneath.

Not stopping to thank his luck, Knuckles turned to tackle the rabbit, and found himself tumbling tail over tip, bowled down by something, in a whirl of blue. The hedgehog! A threat after all. How had he moved so fast?

Knuckles regathered his wits in time to narrowly dodge a kick and then was trading blows with the hedgehog. Close to, he was lightning fast and Knuckles was hard pressed to hold his own. He _was_ landing blows, but not enough of them to count. He wasn't tiring -- the Chaos energy still flowed through him, but it wouldn't last, and he had to bring this to an end before it faded.

Finally, he got a clear, clean blow that floored the hedgehog. He stepped forward to ensure he stayed down and found himself grabbed from behind. He twisted far enough to get a glimpse of the rabbit, and cursed himself. He'd known, he'd _known,_ she was an unpredictable factor, yet he'd still let himself be distracted and lose sight of her.

He yanked and heaved against her grip but her strength was as inexplicable and unnatural as the hedgehog's speed. _Unnatural,_ he thought suddenly, _that metallic arm_. With sudden inspiration, Knuckles made a grab for the one, unarmoured limb, and twisted. The rabbit yelped and released him. Knuckles turned and drew back his fist... and pain flared briefly from the back of his head before fading to black.

* * *

The four freedom fighters stood staring at the sprawled figure on the grass, Sally still holding the large stone she'd coshed him with.

Bunnie rubbed her wrist. "Thanks, Sally girl. What the heck was _that_ all about?"

Sonic brushed dirt from his tail, looking indignant. "Some welcome."

"Not friendly _at all!_" Dulcy agreed, with feeling.

"He must have thought we were with the bots," Sally said, unhappily. They hadn't come here to fight other beasts. "Dulcy's hurt, I don't think she can fly."

"Sure I can," Dulcy said, and started to spread her wings. She didn't finish. Wincing she folded them again. "Uh, maybe not."

"Oh great. So what do we do now?" Sonic demanded.

Sally squared her shoulders. "What we came here to do. We find those Chaos Emeralds. Before Robotnik does."

Sonic grinned. "Now, that I can go for!" He jerked his thumb at the creature on the ground. "What about him?"

Sally looked down. "There'll be more bots. We can't just leave him here."

Sonic made a "knock knock" sign in thin air. "Uh, Sally? Hello? He attacked us, remember?"

"But we don't know why! If he thought we were with Robotnik..."

"What, the lack of metal and laserguns wasn't a clue?" Sonic snorted.

"Sally's right, sugar," Bunnie put in. "Even if he's an enemy he's still another beast, and you know what Robotnik would do to him."

Sally stared at the limp form, remembered the _way_ he'd moved and fought. Something more than natural about it, something extraordinary, something powerful. After a moment she spoke, slowly.

"I wonder if he's the _reason_ Robotnik torched the forest."

Sonic looked back at the blazing trees. "You don't think that's overkill to catch one..." he frowned. "One..." He stopped again. "What _is_ this guy anyway?"

That thought hadn't occurred to Sally and she looked again. "I'm not sure." She reached into her pack. "Nicole, identify species."

_"Working,"_ came Nicole's calm tones, as Sally pulled out the pocket computer._ "Closest match is Echidna. Status, extremely rare, considered possibly extinct. All documented records end circa 4000 years ago."_

Silence followed this astonishing proclamation. It was broken by Sonic. "Well I think you can swap the 'possibly' for 'definitely not' there, Nicole, if my poor bent tail is anything to go by."

"Well that's very interesting an' all," put in Bunnie, "But how come it's reason for Robotnik's interest?"

"Actually it wasn't his species I was thinking of," said Sally. "It was the way he moved when he fought." She looked at Sonic. "He moved like you do when you've got a Power Ring."

Bunnie looked thoughtful. "He sure was hard to put down..."

Sonic made a disbelieving noise. "Nyaah, I'm the only one who can use the Power Rings."

"The rings yes. But these Chaos Emeralds we've supposedly trooped up here to find?"

Bunnie looked down again at the echidna who was starting to stir. He wore no pack or belt to carry anything. "Well if he did have them he hasn't now, and if he stashed them back in there--" She waved in the direction of the still burning forest. "We're kinda out of luck."

"Yeah yeah yeah," Sonic tapped his foot. "Like Bunnie said, very interesting but so what? And can I point out our pal here is waking up. Any bets on whether he's gonna want payback for that lump Sal put on his head?"

"You're right," Sally said, and didn't rise to the smug expression which spread across Sonic's face. "We need to talk to him, but we can't have him hurting anyone else." She looked around. "If he really can use of the energy of the Chaos Emeralds, Robotnik would want to capture him alive to find out how. That's why those swatbots were here. Check them, see if there's anything we can use."

After a minute, Bunnie returned. She was holding, in some distaste, a pair of metal handcuffs. "You were right. They wanted a prisoner."

She looked from the cuffs to the echidna. "You sure about this?"

Sally sighed. "I know it goes against the grain, but Dulcy's injured and we don't know how long we'll be stuck here. We can't risk being attacked from two sides at once, and we can't risk Robotnik capturing someone who may have the key to these Emeralds. We don't have many choices here."

"You're the boss," Bunnie said, acquiescing with good grace. She rolled the echidna over, more or less gently, and drew his arms behind his back, where she secured them with the cuffs. He murmured and tried to pull away, but his movements were sluggish and uncoordinated and he soon stilled again.

Bunnie stood up, looked troubled. Sally sympathised, but Sonic was scowling at the delay.

"Can we move _now_?" he asked pointedly.

"Yes," Sally said. "I think we'd better." She turned to the dragon, who'd been silent through most of the discussion. "I know it's a bit rude to ask, after you're the one he hurt, but we'll get on faster than if one of us was carrying him."

Dulcy shrugged.

"Doesn't bother _me_, Sally. Just wish I'd moved a bit quicker!" She scooped up the limp echidna and the four of them moved off.

* * *

Knuckles woke to hands on his shoulders, darkness and a babble of voices.

"...clobbered him pretty good..."

Voices... There were voices and there was no good reason for anyone to be here but him.

"...better idea..."

Knuckles blinked and tried to focus on the speaker. When had it gotten dark?

He struggled to gather his thoughts. Fire. A fight. It hadn't been dark though...

"...sleep too long, in case he..."

The Chaos Energy had long since dissipated and he was stiff and cold and sore. The burns stung and his knee throbbed and his pounding head trumped them all. The voices still seemed like they were coming from a long way off, but someone was pulling him to a sitting position.

"Wakey wakey, sugar."

Knuckles jerked away, lost his balance and tried to put out a hand to stop himself falling. He failed, and flopped sideways on the grass. Realising then that his hands were pinned behind him, he started to struggle in earnest.

"Now take it easy, and we'll talk about it." The same voice and someone was holding him again, pulling him upright. The rabbit. He remembered that strange strength.

"There's nothing to talk about," he spat back, over the sound of another voice calling for more light. "I will not help you, I will not guide you, I will tell you nothing."

A flickering light approached. The hedgehog stepped forward carrying a burning torch. Instinct and recent memory of the flames in the forest made Knuckles drive himself backwards away from it, without thinking. He regretted it at once. Fear was too powerful a weapon to hand to an enemy.

In the light from the torch Knuckles saw the squirrel for the first time since waking up. She'd held up a hand to stop the hedgehog's approach.

"We didn't come here for a fight," she said. "I realise you have no idea who we are or what we want and you must think--"

"I'll tell you what I think!" Knuckles broke in. "I think you're invaders, and thieves, and--" he groped for a word adequate to describe the destruction of the forest, but could only find, "Vandals! I think you came here knowing _exactly_ what you wanted and I think you're under the impression that you can force me to reveal it to you." The rabbit was still propping him up and he shrugged her hands from him. "You would not be the first to try, but like them, you're mistaken."

The hedgehog rolled his eyes. "Well, _someone_ sure is!"

"Sonic..." said the squirrel, "Just...

"Just what, Sal? Can we remember who attacked who here anyway!"

"You burned the forest!" Knuckles bellowed.

"Bzzzzzzz! Wrong!" snapped back the hedgehog.

"I saw the machines, the craft, behind you."

"Because we'd just smashed it out of the sky!"

Knuckles opened his mouth -- and stopped. He cast his mind back, struggling to remember if the devices had looked damaged, but all he could recall was the smoke and the flames and the fizz of the Chaos Energy in his blood.

The hedgehog tapped his foot.

"Well?" he asked.

Knuckles frowned. "I don't believe you."

The squirrel raised both hands to her head.

"This is getting us nowhere."

"You got that right," muttered the hedgehog.

The squirrel gave him a reproof-filled glance. "Look, maybe we can make a deal. We un-cuff you." She ignored the hedgehog's protest and the startled looks from the other two. "And you agree not to jump to any conclusions -- or attacks -- before you've heard our side of the story."

"Oh Sally girl..." the rabbit started, "I'm not so sure..."

"No," said Knuckles flatly.

"What?" both creatures said.

"No," repeated Knuckles. "I do not make 'deals'. If you release me I will do everything in my power to stop you and to remove you from this island. If you want to prevent me from attacking, you may leave without resistance. If you resist you will have to kill me to stop me."

"You know," the hedgehog said, "There is such as thing as being _too_ honest."

Knuckles regarded him. "Would you prefer I lied and smashed your skulls while you slept?"

The hedgehog scowled and brandished the torch. "Would _you_ prefer I shoved this thing--"

"Sonic!"

Again the hedgehog was interrupted, but even in his current vulnerable position Knuckles could tell there was no real threat there. He considered the situation. After all apart from his dignity and the fact he was already injured, he hadn't really been hurt yet. Which meant there were two possibilities.

At best, this lot were the well-meaning but misguided types who didn't realise the danger of the Emeralds and thought to use them for some positive outcome. At worst, it was a front and the real threats and coercion would start later. Either way he had time in hand for now.

He reached out mentally for the Master Emerald. The energy level was building again slowly after his use of it. For now it was ample to maintain the traps and wards that encircled the shrine, but not enough for his own use as well.

Never mind. He would rest, sleep as best he could, and see what morning brought. Deliberately, if awkwardly, he turned his back on his captors, lay back down and closed his eyes.

* * *

"He's going to be trouble," Sonic said firmly, watching the sleeping echidna as Sally packed away their first aid kit. She'd treated the burns on their prisoner's leg as best she could, though there was nothing she could do for the sprained and swollen knee.

"I don't get it," Sonic went on. "I mean, look at that leg. We didn't do that. So how could he have been fighting?"

Sally shrugged at Sonic's words, not really listening. This was a new situation for them. They didn't have much contact with creatures from outside of Knothole, and when they did they were usually the ones being approached. Sally was used to being the one making the decisions about who was and wasn't trustworthy, and it was a strange and rather unpleasant experience being on the receiving end of suspicion. Especially when the one thing that would have proved her good intentions was the one thing she couldn't do. Not at least without some kind of assurance.

"What _I_ don't get,_"_ she said after a pause. "Is why he wouldn't jump at a deal to get out of those cuffs?"

"Would you really have believed him?" Sonic asked.

Sally shrugged, "Perhaps. But four of us beat him once, and I'm sure he had help, maybe not a Ring, but something like it. I think that's why he could still fight while he was injured."

"A Ring..." Sonic drummed his fingers quickly. "There _was_ something odd... just before the fight. I checked on the Ring. In case we needed a bit of extra juice, y'know." He swung the backpack off and opened it in one movement.

In the darkness it was even more noticeable. They all stared.

"It's glowing!" Sally reached out but stopped short of touching the Ring.

"Don't they always glow?" Dulcy said, eyeing the Ring with a slight frown.

"Not like this." Sally closed the flap of backpack back over the Ring. "I don't think we should advertise this. Whatever it means."

Sonic nodded vigorously. "I'm with you on that, Sal!"

Sally looked across at the echidna. "Whatever it was, he'd have used it again before now if he could."

"So why not bargain?" Dulcy asked. "He didn't even try to lie..."

"Or he had some reason not to," Sonic pointed out.

Sally frowned. "He had every reason _to_," she pointed out. "He was angry and captured and scared."

Sonic snorted. "If that was his attitude when he was was _scared_ I'd hate to meet him on a good day. Besides, maybe he just didn't think his chances of a getaway were worth it -- like you said, we kicked his butt in that fight."

Bunnie looked over again at their prisoner. "I think he was scared we were gonna carry _on_ with the butt kicking after that fight was done."

Sonic blinked, and stared from her to Sally, who was nodding. He opened his mouth, closed it again, then eventually said. "That's sick." There was a pause. "That stuff he said about people trying before to get him to tell them stuff..."

"I don't know." Sally frowned. "But I know Robotnik wouldn't have any qualms about being the next."

"So where does that leave us?" Bunnie asked.

Sally considered it. "It doesn't change anything. We still can't let him go if he's going to attack us, and we still can't just leave him somewhere for Robotnik to find." She stood up. "We go on. We'll just have to try and convince him on the way."

"That should add a bit of fun to the trip." Sonic rolled his eyes. "And can I ask, 'on the way' to where exactly? That guy's not going to help us, and 'Buttnik's bots are here but there's no sign of his lardyness, so which way do we go?"

Sally pointed. "That way." Smoke rose from a mountain outlined again the skyline even in the dark. "The records talk of underground passages filled with fire. That's a volcano. We go that way."

"Great!" Sonic said. "Why didn't I realise that. Of course we head straight for the lakes of boiling lava. Where else?"

"Sonic?"

"Yeah, Sal?"

"Shut up."


	3. Chapter 3

Knuckles had considered refusing to walk along with his captors the next day, assuming the reason his burns had been treated was because they wanted him upright and mobile. However, since it had already been demonstrated that the dragon could lift him easily, he didn't think it was worth the indignity of being carried again. He therefore limped alongside the rabbit, favouring his injured leg as much as he dared.

That he was delaying their progress across the Island was a bonus, but he didn't want to give away just how much it was troubling him, or provoke them into losing patience and insisting he be carried. He ignored the looks that the squirrel kept shooting him once her attempts at conversation had been met with silence.

He was also struggling to conceal his anxiety about their direction. They were heading straight into Lava Reef, which although it was well protected, was uncomfortably close to Hidden Palace and the place of the Emeralds. Grass had given way to dusty baked earth and occasional scrubby undergrowth and the air was growing warmer.

The hedgehog was also unhappy it seemed, and he was more open about his feelings. In particular his frustration.

"Look, if that's where we're going, why don't I just blast on ahead and have a scout round, while you catch up with hopalong here?"

_Yes, _Knuckles thought, _please do 'blast along' right into a trap or two and see how far you get._

Unfortunately the squirrel seemed to be thinking along the same lines.

"I don't think it's safe to split up. We don't know what to expect."

The hedgehog struck a pose with his hand to his forehead. "Well, _d'uh..._ why d'you think I want to go and look?"

"No, Sonic," the squirrel said, in a tone that brooked no argument. She glanced at Knuckles. "But maybe we can move a little faster." She strode over and Knuckles glared at her, suspicious that he knew what was coming.

"You're slowing us down." She sounded almost apologetic.

"Good."

His rejoinder was ignored.

"Dulcy's going to carry you for a while."

Knuckles glared from the squirrel to the dragon. "Then 'Dulcy' had better not mind ending up with a collection of bruises by this evening."

There was a sigh from the squirrel. "Are you really going to make us truss you up like a piece of cargo?"

"You can try." Knuckles stepped backwards slightly to give himself more stable stance to defend himself, and found the rabbit's metallic arm on his shoulder. He tested his weight on his injured leg and hid a wince. Out of the corner of his eye he could see the inexplicably fast hedgehog take a step closer, a wary look in his eyes. Knuckles closed his own eyes, fighting off the treacherous little corner of his mind that asked what was the point of this resistance. He'd failed to defeat this group once, and that was with the Chaos Energy more than a low ebb at the edge of awareness. He couldn't win, here, now.

But he was the Guardian and he had to do more than just submit. He had to try.

Knowing surprise was his only ally, he jerked his head back. Heard the rabbit squeal as he made contact squarely with her nose. He lurched forward as she released him and made a running shoulder tackle at where the hedgehog was.

Had been.

Cursing, Knuckles overshot and a spinning kick from the hedgehog sent him into the dirt, snout first. As the others rushed to help restrain him, he twisted furiously, trying to regain his feet, but hindered by his cuffed wrists. In the confusion of limbs, someone's hand closed hard on his blistered leg. Knuckles yelled in startled pain and the pressure slackened for a moment before someone else yelled, "No, hang onto him!" and something tightened around his ankles.

Then all the grabbing hands were gone, and Knuckles struggled a moment longer before resigning himself to the fact he was now bound hand _and_ foot. Powdery dirt thrown up in the struggle caked his throat and nose and he coughed and spat, and tried to blink the irritant from his eyes.

A wry voice broke the silence.

"Well I've had reluctant passengers before but you gotta take the prize."

Knuckles didn't consider this required a response and waited silently until the squirrel spoke.

"I wish this wasn't necessary. I'm sorry."

_If I can do anything about it you _will_ be_, Knuckles thought, but said nothing aloud as he was hoisted onto the dragon's back and secured in position. He needed to spend some time in thought. If brute force wouldn't get him out of this, he needed another way.

* * *

With the pace improved, they reached the edges of the volcanic hills before evening, and camped in the lee of a sheer cliff face which extended as far as they could see. Down the side, watering a think growth of climbing plants, tumbled a small, sulphur-smelling stream, which was just about drinkable.

They all ate, though Sally feared that the echidna would refuse, simply due to the fact that with his hands still cuffed there was no option but for him to be fed like an infant. Hunger apparently beat out pride though and he accepted a share of the stew they'd made up from their supplies.

Sally picked at her own meal half-heartedly, deeply uncomfortable with how this was playing out. Last night she'd tried to treat the echidna's burns, today she'd grabbed them to pin him to the ground while he thrashed in pain and choked on a faceful of dirt. Was this why they'd come here? Were these Emeralds worth this?

She reminded herself that he'd given as good as he'd got. That Bunnie was nursing a probably broken nose, and Dulcy still couldn't fully extend one wing, but she couldn't quite convince herself. The echidna had been outnumbered, beaten on his home ground, defending what he thought was his. If someone had come to Knothole, looking for the Power Stone, or the Rings... Whatever their motivation...

"What would we have done?" Sally murmured.

"Hmm?" Bunnie queried, looking up from tending the camp-fire

"Nothing," Sally said. "Just thinking."

"Well, think about how we're going to get past this here cliff face if you want a real poser." Bunnie continued to poke at the fire, but she'd raised a good point. Sally looked the length of the cliff which ran on with no sign of ending.

"I bet someone here knows exactly where it finishes up," Sonic commented.

Sally looked at the echidna who gave no sign of even having heard Sonic's remark.

"Yes, well there's nothing we can do about that," she said. "Let's get some sleep. There's either going to be awful lot of walking or an awful lot of climbing tomorrow. I'll take the first watch."

Sonic eyed the echidna again. "You sure, Sal? Maybe we need two on guard."

"What can he do?" Sally asked.

"I dunno, but he did pretty damn well for someone who had his hands tied this afternoon!"

"So I'll be careful," Sally said firmly. "_Goodnight_, Sonic."

Sonic frowned but gave in. "Night then, Sal."

Sally sat, staring at the fire as the others drifted one by one into sleep. The echidna too, had his eyes shut, but from his tossing and shifting she was sure he was awake. Possibly that was down to Sonic's snoring, but Sally unhappily suspected she knew what was keeping him from resting.

She stood and walked over to him, keeping carefully out of range of whatever attack he might still be capable of. Although she'd thought she'd made no noise he opened his eyes and glared up at her, his eyes still reddened from the dust.

"Well?" he asked, roughly.

Sally hesitated, but conscience pricked too hard and she plunged on.

"I've got stuff I can put on those burns, if you'll just..."

The echidna cut her off with a snort. "If I'll just cooperate? Just tell you the way? Maybe just hand over the Emeralds to you wholesale? All for a bit of pain ease?" He twisted angrily, trying to turn over. "I'm not so easily bought."

Sally stared until anger overcame her distress. "That's not what I meant at all! What kind of creature do you think I am! What I was about to say was, if you'll _just_ not kick or bite or whatever else you were thinking of trying, in spite of it being pretty pointless at this stage! But if you'd rather lie there and squirm, then please, be my guest!"

The echidna stopped moving and met her eyes. He looked for a long time, but Sally was still angry and didn't drop her gaze. The echidna looked away first.

"If I misunderstood then I apologise." His voice when he spoke, was careful and slow. "I am not in a position to assume anything but the worst." He paused. "If the offer still stands, then I will not attack or attempt to escape while you treat such injuries as you are willing to."

Sally hesitated, confused and slightly suspicious of this sudden stilted courtesy. She looked at the echidna, whose face was unreadable, appearing neither particularly anxious, nor hopeful. After a moment she decided.

"Alright then. I'll need some water too."

She returned quickly with a bowl and cautiously, still half expecting some sort of attack, knelt down beside the echidna. For his part, he seemed equally tense, and Sally wondered what ulterior motives he suspected her of. She started soaking a compress for his swollen knee and slowly worked the dirt from the burns. Knuckles grimaced and she cast about for a topic for distraction.

"We don't even know your name," she settled on.

The echidna narrowed his eyes. "And that's one of the few things I _would_ have told you if you'd asked."

Sally waited, and when no further comment was forthcoming, prompted. "Well? What is it?"

"Knuckles." The name ended in a hiss as Sally put down the warm water and started applying the burn ointment.

"Sorry, it'll sting." Sally paused to let him catch his breath. "Knuckles. Well, I'm Sally."

"I know. The hedgehog is Sonic, the rabbit is Bunnie, the dragon is Dulcy. Get on with it."

Refusing to take offence, Sally continued applying the ointment. The burns extended down most of one leg, but stopped short of the ankle, where she quickly checked the bindings holding him. The soft leather strap had been part of the harness they'd rigged up for Dulcy to carry passengers, and hadn't chafed. The cuffs were a different matter and Knuckles flinched as she touched his wrists to investigate.

"They hurt?" It was almost a rhetorical question, and Knuckles answered it as such.

"What do you think?"

Sally didn't answer, she could see for herself. The cuffs weren't tight enough to dig in, but Knuckles had struggled hard and the fur was abraded and the flesh beneath swollen and starting to split. Sally reached to move one cuff slightly see better, and Knuckles pulled away hard enough to make her lose her balance.

"You said you wouldn't move," she reminded him.

"I said I wouldn't _attack_, I didn't say anything about laying still while you pawed at me and decided the best way to--"

Sally interrupted, "If you're gearing up to accuse me again of planning the torture of a prisoner, you can save your breath. These need to come off."

"What?" Knuckles stared at her in blank confusion.

"These cuffs," Sally clarified. "They have to come off."

Knuckles started at her some more, then in a voice laden with sarcasm said, "I'm sorry, there's really nothing I can do to help you with that bit."

Sally gave him an equally sarcastic smile in return. "Thanks anyway. Now try listening. I made you a genuine offer some time ago. A deal. I let you go. You don't attack us. Easy. No one's asking you for information, no one's asking you to help. Just don't interfere."

Knuckles was already shaking his head.

"You haven't even thought about it," Sally said, frustrated. "You won't even listen to why we're here. Robotnik, the one who set fire to that forest, who's responsible for those burns, is our enemy too, he has all the advantages, all the power, all we need is some way to fight back. We're right on the edge, we've been hiding and fighting back as best we can, but if _he _gets those Emeralds..."

She'd been speaking as fast as she could, but Knuckles was unmoved.

"You won't even hear me out?"

"I don't need to. I can't. I can't help you. I can't even let you search on your own without trying to stop you. Let me go and I'll do my best to stop this Robotnik, but I'll try just as hard to stop you. I don't have any choice. It's why I'm here. I'm the Guardian. No one can be allowed to take the Emeralds. No one must be allowed to use them."

"_You_ did!" Sally shot back, so loudly that the others in the camp began to stir. "When we first arrived here! That's how you were able to survive that inferno of a forest. That's why you were able to fight us even though you were injured. Why you almost even won!"

"Yes," Knuckles agreed readily. "And you've seen the upshot. Are the burns magically gone? Is my knee healed? Or is it worse because I fought on, not even feeling what damage I was doing? They solve nothing! They create nothing! They're dangerous, and none of you have got any idea _how_ dangerous!"

"Is that why you haven't used it again to get away from us?" Sally demanded, raising a question which had been on her mind some time. She only half expected an answer so was surprised when Knuckles responded.

Knuckles inclined his head in a nod, his cheek pressed against the ground where he still lay. "Not only that, but yes. Also it was too soon after the last time. Contrary to the rumours that keep bringing people here, the energy is not infinite. But it will not be long before I will be able to use it again if I have to. And believe me, when that happens I will not need you to release me, and I will be unlikely to be in a state of mind to remember any deals."

He met Sally's eyes again. "So in short, the answer to your offer is 'no'. I will not lie to you and I cannot make a deal with you."

Sally struggled to read the emotions on the echidna's face and failed. "Then I have a problem," she said, eventually. "Because there are things I cannot do either, and this is one of them." She gestured at his injured wrists. "This isn't why we came here and it's a step further than I'm prepared to go."

She moved forward, Knuckles watching her every move with a deep suspicion.

"I'm going to undo those cuffs, do and you must do what you think you have do."

She stepped forward and Knuckles kept very still as she undid the cuffs. Abruptly, as soon as his hands were free he drew back sharply hauling himself into a sitting position, without taking his eyes off Sally. He rolled his shoulders and looked briefly at his wrists before reaching to undo the loop of leather around his ankles.

Sally could hear the others approaching.

"Uh, Sal? What's going on?" Sonic sounded confused and sleepy and didn't seem to have understood yet what Sally had done. She could only hope that the sense of basic honesty shown in the echidna's refusal to lie his way to freedom would extend to not leaping at the group as they stood half asleep.

In a rush of movement he was on his feet. The was a split second of indecision, then he spun and half ran, half limped in the opposite direction. Sally sagged with relief, then startled back to attention as Sonic bellowed, "Hey!" and started after him.

"Sonic no, wait a minute!" she yelled after him, ignoring the stares of the other two.

Knuckles reached the cliff face and slapped a hand against it. The hanging vines dropped away in a heavy curtain and there was a grinding of rock as a wide cave entrance was revealed. Sonic arrived at the same second, knocked Knuckles away from the entrance and both of them slammed into the rock wall. Knuckles fell to the ground, gasping, with Sonic on top of him, only slightly better off.

Bunnie raced over, and joined Sonic in trying to keep a hold of Knuckles, who in spite of his struggles was looking straight past both of them to Sally.

"You set me up!"

"No..." Sally started.

"You did!" Knuckles yelled.

"You did?" Sonic echoed. "You could have warned us." He grinned. "So is this the way to these Emeralds then?"

Sally shook her head, "I don't know, I didn't mean..."

"Yes," said Knuckles.

Everyone stared at him.

"Uh huh. And we'd believe you because...?" Sonic asked in a drawl.

Knuckles glared at him.

"Boobytrapped then?" Sonic said airily.

"I will not help you."

"I really think you should," Sonic said. "Seeing as you're coming along. Bunnie if you get his other arm I think there's plenty of room for us all to have a front row view."

Bunnie shifted position and grabbed one arm with both hands, while Sonic held the other.

"Up we get," she said and they hoisted Knuckles back to his feet between them.

"I'm not sure about this," Sally stared to protest, but realised the situation had completely got away from her control. Maybe it would just be best to get this over with one way or another.

Sonic glanced back at her. "Why, what's he going to do? Walk into his own boobytraps?"

Knuckles had stopped struggling and walked more or less under his own power between Sonic and Bunnie.

"I will not help you," he repeated as they approached the cave mouth. "I've warned you."

"Yeah, yeah, heard it already," Sonic said, as they stepped into the darkness.

Sally didn't see what happened next, but there was a swish and a scream, then the three of them came tumbling out again. Sonic threw Knuckles to the ground where he curled clutching the back of his head. Bunnie was bleeding from the shoulder.

"What happened?" Sally leapt forward to check Bunnie's injury.

Shaking with adrenaline, Sonic pointed a finger at the echidna. "He's nuts. That's what happened! This place is nuts! Flaming arrows in the walls!"

"He walked right into it," Bunnie murmured, as Sally retrieved the first aid kit and started covering her wound. "Something shot at us. Sonic knocked us both down or we'd all have been killed. If he'd been any slower..."

"Hey, that S-word doesn't belong in the same sentence as me!" Sonic put in, regaining some of his poise.

Sally tried to pick the sense from this. "Are you telling me he _did_ lead you into his own boobytrap?"

"Yes!" both Sonic and Bunnie chorused.

"So what happened to him?"

Sonic shrugged. "Banged his head when we went down. All three of us would have been skewered though." He raised his voice and scowled at Knuckles, "Not that I'm hearing a word of thanks here!"

"I warned you." Knuckles voice was muffled by his arms around his head where another lump would soon match the first. "I told you the first night you were here that I'd die if that's what it took to stop you. I warned you before we went in that I would not help you."

"Okay!" Sally raised her hands. "This is getting way out of hand! Nobody is getting killed over this! It's gone too far." She spun on her heel to look at Knuckles. "You injured our only way off of this island. How would _you_ suggest we leave?"

"We're leaving?" Sonic stared at her.

"We're leaving," Sally said. "Try the communicators. See if you can raise Rotor. We may need some ideas for transport."

Knuckles raised his head and looked at them, dazed and disbelieving.

"You're leaving?"

"Is there an echo?" Sonic asked, cupping his ear. "If it's any comfort, I'm as surprised as you." He spun round. "You're kidding right, Sal?"

"Wrong." Sally said, almost in the same beat.

Knuckles got slowly to his feet, his gaze moving from one to the other. He glanced at the cave entrance then away in the opposite direction, and fingered his injured wrists.

"How can I trust you?"

Sally glared at him, frustrated and fed up. "We're leaving, why do you need to?"

"I need to if I'm to lower the Island to let you off."

"Lower it?" Another chorus.

Sally whirled on Sonic and fired his own words back at him.

"Is there an _echo?_"

Knuckles ignored the byplay. "If you warned others, if--"

"Can we get back to the 'lowering' bit?" Sonic interrupted

"Sonic--" Sally broke in, about to give the hedgehog an opinion on the proper time and place for curiosity, but was cut off in her turn by the roar of engines.

"Uh, guys?" Bunnie pointed skywards. "I think we've got bigger problems..."


	4. Chapter 4

One of Robotnik's spherical one-man ships approached, moving unreasonably fast, and flanked by at least a dozen hoverbots. Knuckles fired a glance at Sally who shook her head vigorously, but before she could speak to dispel the instant suspicion, Robotnik made her point for her by firing on the group.

Though the first blast was aimed at Sonic -- and missed -- the force of the blast sent everyone tumbling to the ground. Sonic was on back on his feet first and leapt at the leading craft, from which Robotnik could clearly be seen leering out at them.

Dulcy drew in her breath and iced a good portion of the flanking bots before they joined the attack and Bunnie had also leapt into the fray.

"Find cover!" Sally yelled, automatically, but there was nothing but low scrub and the imposing cliff face.

"The cave!" Knuckles shouted, surrounded by fragments of smashed bots. "Get inside!"

Sally's eyebrows shot up. _Now_ he decided to help?

"The arrows?"

Knuckles grimaced. "One shot," he snapped. "Go. No further than the first corner. There's more."

"Sonic!" called Sally, "Inside."

Bunnie was already retreating, Dulcy a few steps ahead of her. Sally started after them.

The lens of the laser weapon glowed again. Sonic leapt into the air to avoid it and landed another blow. Robotnik swerved wildly before recovering control and firing again.

On the opposite side of the craft, Knuckles smashed one more bot and started for the cave, but his limping progress was erratic, and the bots were faster.

Sally started back to help but Sonic caught her intention. "On it, already!" he called, and skidded to a sweeping stop in front of Knuckles, ploughing through a number of the bots blocking the way.

Sally saw what was about to happen seconds too late to stop it.

Without pausing for explanations, Sonic grabbed Knuckles by the wrist to tow him along, as he had Sally and the others so many times. Except that Knuckles wasn't expecting it. Except that his wrists were bruised and raw. Except that his knee gave under him as, with a startled snarl, he yanked in the opposite direction to Sonic.

Hedgehog and echidna went down in a heap and Robotnik fired again. The earth split and heaved and both were flung a clear fifty feet in the air. Sonic landed, winded, near the cave entrance and Sally grabbed him and yanked him inside. The bots swarmed at the entrance, but constricted by the narrow passageway were easier to pick off here.

They both stared. Knuckles, somehow was still in the air, falling far slower than seemed possible. He landed lightly and stared at the torn earth, before turning his glare on Robotnik.

The lens of the laser sparkled again, gathering for another shot. Sonic tried to push forward through the bots, but there were too many. Sally was watching the aim of the laser. As far back as they could get in the cave might not be far enough.

Knuckles watched the power gathering at the lens, then leapt at the craft.

"Get. Off. My. Island." he spat as he leapt, colliding directly with the lens with both fists outstretched.

The lens splintered in an explosion only slightly less powerful than the deliberate shots and this time Knuckles did fall. Before he could rise, a grabbing claw shot out of the craft and snatched him tightly around the shoulders and hoisted him off the ground. Knuckles kicked at thin air and twisted in the thing's grip but could get no leverage.

The bots ringing the cave mouth withdrew slightly, at an unheard order, then a sardonically amused voice came from a loudspeaker somewhere on the craft.

"Well this is convenient. The Guardian I've been so avidly looking for, _and_ the wretched rodent all in one friendly little get together. Come out, hedgehog, unless you want to watch your new friend go the same way as these machines of mine which you've made such a mess of."

Inside the cave, Sally shook her head. "He won't kill him. He wanted him captured. He wants the way to the Chaos Emeralds even more than we do. We need to stall for time."

Sonic nodded and stepped a bit closer to the cave entrance.

"Friend? That's uh -- over_egging _-- it a bit. Actually he doesn't likes us any better than he likes you." He paused. "And that's really saying something!"

Inside, Sally slapped her forehead. Buying time was one thing. Antagonising Robotnik by spending that time in slinging insults was another.

"Is that so?" Robotnik said, unmoved. "And what say you, oh great Guardian?"

Knuckles looked as though he might not answer, but then eventually growled out, "They're nothing to do with me. They're intruders here."

"Ah, the same story at least," Robotnik drawled. "So you don't think they'll mind if I, just for example you understand, killed you, or took you back with me as a prisoner, or--"

"Why should they?" Knuckles cut in.

Robotnik ignored the interruption and continued, "Or used something like this," Two slender metal probes snaked out of the sides of the craft and converged on the echidna. "To see if I couldn't extract a bit more cooperation?"

The probes touched and lit up with flickering blue light. Knuckles' body instantly went into wracking convulsions, though he was completely, and eerily silent.

"Stop it!" Sally shouted, within seconds.

"Certainly," Robotnik said, and the probes withdrew. Knuckles dangled, still shuddering.

"So are you coming out?" Robotnik asked in a sugary tone. "If you want to think about it, I've got all day. At the current power level, it takes quite a long time before this kind of thing becomes fatal."

The probes made contact again and Knuckles jerked and twisted in a vain effort to escape them.

"Of course, you could put a stop to this yourself." Robotnik addressed Knuckles in the same casual tone. "But doubtless I'd just get a melodramatic answer if I asked you where the Master Emerald is."

Struggling to catch his breath enough to speak, Knuckles' response was fragmented.

"..get..._no_ answer..."

Robotnik did not sound concerned by this rebuff. "Oh well. Down to your dear new comrades then." He raised his voice. "What'll it be?"

The freedom fighters stared at each other, each reading the same expression of distress and indecision on one another's faces.

Sonic broke the silence first. "You were right, Sal. This has gone way too far." He moved towards the entrance.

"Sonic..." Sally started, as the others shook their heads doubtfully.

Sonic grinned. "Hey we'll work something out -- we always do!"

He stepped briskly towards the cave opening, staying cautiously behind a ledge of rock.

"Hey, Robotnik. I'm coming out!"

"No!" The shout came from Knuckles. "You stay. You keep him out!" He broke off, his voice cracking. Then he drew breath again and shouted something incomprehensible. There was a rumble and a trembling in the rock, then Sonic was forced to leap backwards to avoid the shelf of rock which was rapidly descending back into position to block the entrance.

The freedom fighters had rushed forward, but only in time to hear Robotnik's bellow of frustration before all daylight was cut off and the cave was left in silent darkness.

"Y'know," Bunnie's wry voice emerged from the gloom. "I do seem to have to keep on saying this on this li'l jaunt, but 'what the heck just happened?'"

"He shut us in!" Dulcy's voice was indignant.

"I think he shut Robotnik out," Sally corrected thoughtfully.

"Oh yeah, 'cause that makes all the difference!" Sonic rolled his eyes.

"I suspect it does if you're outside." Sally blinked in the gloom as their eyes started to adjust.

There was a rap of fist on stone and Sonic spoke again. "There must be a way out."

"Don't prod anything!" Sally said hastily. "Remember the traps!"

"He said there weren't any more 'til round the corner," Sonic said.

"Um, I'm not sure that's _quite_ what he said," put in Bunnie. "Anyway, do we believe him now?"

Sally squinted at the others, her eyes adjusting to the darkness. "I'm not sure."

"Yeah, yeah fascinating debate." Sonic drummed his foot against the floor. "But what do we do now?" He glanced down the passageway. "I reckon there's no traps in here quicker than this hedgehog. I say we go on, get these Emeralds, kick Robotnik's butt, _then_ go in for rescuing stroppy echidnas."

"We can't leave Knuckles a prisoner," Sally agreed. "Maybe these Emeralds are are best chance." She chewed her lip, thinking again of Knuckles' words but not finding any alternative. "But we don't know how long finding them might take. We should split up. You've got the best chance at getting through the traps. The rest of us should find a way out and go after Robotnik."

"Without me? No way!" Sonic protested.

Sally rolled her eyes. "Less of the drama, Sonic. It's not like we've never run missions separately before. It's the most efficient way. We can't afford to have Robotnik force the location of the Emeralds from Knuckles before we find them."

Sonic snorted. "Yeah, well good luck to him with that! Aren't you forgetting the whole 'death first' demonstration?"

"Robotnik may not give him that option," Sally said flatly. "You heard what he said about 'non-lethal' means." She spat the final words.

Sonic grimaced. "All right. Fine. So how do you propose we get that door back open and get out of here?

Sally smiled then. "I've got one or two ideas." She reached around into her backpack. "Nicole, scan for any electronics or machinery please."

_"Scanning, Sally." _Aprojected image appeared, overlaid on the walls. "_Evidence of hydraulic mechanism. Controls unknown. Electromagnetic signature detected." _Part of the wall beside the now invisible entrance was highlighted by the projector.

Sally moved across to it and raised her hand. "It couldn't be that simple?" She touched the wall and the groaning, grating sound of rock moving against rock sounded again. "Maybe it could."

She looked over her shoulder. "Keep back, Robotnik could still be out there."

The scene outside was still though, not even a single bot left as guard. "Looks like he gave up on us," Sonic said. "I could be insulted."

"More likely he thought he needed all of them he could get, close by." Sally frowned. "He must expect a rescue attempt."

"D'you think?" Sonic asked in mock amazement. "So how're you going to run it?"

Sally smirked. "Like you said, we'll work something out. You just worry about getting those Emeralds without getting skewered. Then if we need help you'll be more than equipped to deliver it won't you?"

Sonic grinned. "Sounds like a plan to me. Just don't forget to leave some of those bots for me."

He dashed back into the cave, and when long enough had passed that Sally concluded he must have got past the second set of traps without drama, she turned to Dulcy. "How's your wing doing?"

Dulcy extended it partway and drew it back. "Better, but not _better_, if you see what I mean."

"Okay. I'm sorry then, but I think we're going to need stealth to pull this off, and..."

"I'm not really the stealthy sort, on the ground," Dulcy agreed readily. "Not a problem, Sally. I'll just park myself here and stand lookout for Sonic. Maybe try to raise Knothole on the radio."

Sally nodded. "Good. You can always get inside if Robotnik does decide to check back here."

"No problem."

Bunnie bounced on her toes. "So you and me are off to see Robotnik huh?" She pointed out a spiral of oily black smoke, distinctly different from the volcano's drifting fumes. "Reckon that's our direction?"

Sally nodded. "That's it."


	5. Chapter 5

Knuckles leaned against the wall, turning his head cautiously to avoid the still painful lumps, and surveyed the small cell into which he'd been unceremoniously deposited. His hands and feet had been left free, and he wasn't entirely certain whether to be grateful for that, or indignant that he wasn't considered enough of a threat to bother restraining. A camera set high of reach in the slick metal wall let him know he was being observed if nothing else.

The frustration of his current uselessness nagged at him, but that one treacherous corner of his mind, barely admitted even to himself, was actually relieved that for now, there _was_ no choice but to wait. Since it was brazenly obvious he couldn't walk through steel walls, there was no pressure to keep on trying something - anything to get away and at least no one was asking him questions, dragging him around, staring, or trying to convince him of anything. All in all, compared to the past two days, this state of incarceration was actually rather restful.

_Which isn't the appropriate attitude at all_, he told himself.

In any case it was unlikely to last.

As if in answer to his thought, there was a hiss from the direction of the door, which slid open to reveal a squat, scrawny man, flanked by two imposing black metal guards. Knuckles rose uncomfortably to his feet, although the height differential of the guards made the gesture pretty meaningless.

"Well?" Knuckles demanded. The ugly little man looked nonplussed and Knuckles continued. "I should probably warn you I've had just about as much as I can stand of threats and promises lately, so whatever it it you think you can bribe or intimidate me with, you may as well just get it out of the way now, so we can move on."

"My name is Snively," the man said, clearly intent on delivering a predetermined message. "I'm here to negotiate on behalf of Dr Robotnik."

"So you're 'negotiating' on behalf of someone who thinks electrocuting people is a useful bargaining chip then?" Knuckles sneered.

Snively only smiled. "Indeed. As _you_ are here because you chose the side of creatures who bash their prisoners over the head and chain up them up for days at a time." He looked pointedly at Knuckles' wrists, and at the dried blood in his quills. "I know what caused those injuries, and I know it wasn't us that did it."

Knuckles' retort died on his lips.

"Whatever reasons they may have given, you have no allies among those rebels, Guardian." Snively still smiled. "You have no allies here either of course, but at least the good doctor and I are honest about our motives."

"Really?" Knuckles asked. "So what's his motive for sending a crawling minion down here to talk to me instead of coming himself?"

"Simple." Snively's smile finally did falter a little and he shot a quick glance at the camera. "His safety is plainly far more important than mine. In the unlikely event that the swatbots should prove insufficient to contain you, I am..." There was another nervous flick of the eyes towards the camera, "...expendable."

Knuckles gaped. "And you're happy with that, are you?"

Snively shrugged. "For the moment." He wrinkled his long nose, and looked Knuckles up and down with a disdainful expression. "I mean, I hardly seem to be in imminent danger, do I?"

Knuckles had to admit, bedraggled as he was, that he probably _didn't_ present much of a prospect to worry about at the moment.

"You said this was a negotiation," Knuckles said, fed up of the verbal games. "I know what you want, so what exactly are you offering_?_"

"Nothing." Snively said. "Or to be clear about it, we're offering to do nothing _to_ you. You will not be hurt, or injured or changed."

Knuckles rolled his eyes. "So the old 'cooperate and we won't hurt you'?" He shook his head mockingly, though something in the wording snagged at his attention. _Changed?_ He forced a laugh. "Even the squirrel managed to come up with 'We'll let you go.' Is that really the best you can manage?"

"It may well be." Snively was no longer smiling. "If you think the little demonstration the doctor laid on for Sonic is even remotely the worst that could happen to you, you're deeply mistaken."

He stepped back towards the door and touched a panel. The door swung open. "Get in here," he ordered to someone out of sight.

Knuckles watched puzzled, as a third bot entered the room. Unlike the two looming swatbots, this one was small, barely his own height, and shaped almost like a real creature. Some sort of cat maybe. The features were distorted, rather unsettlingly, but it was far from intimidating.

Knuckles looked from the bot to Snively, bemused. "And what's this supposed to be?"

"This is -– _was _-- another of those worthless rebels. Rather moreuseful now, I must admit."

Knuckles stared at the bot. "I don't..." _understand_ would have been the next word, but that expression that had disturbed him before –- changed –- pushed its way back to the forefront of his attention and he took two fast paces backwards from the thing in realisation and instant revulsion.

That had been a person?

"I think you _do_," Snively said. He made a small gesture and the two swatbots stepped smartly forward and grasped both Knuckles' arms, preventing further retreat.

He struggled urgently, driven close to unreasoning panic by his disgust. What foul technology could turn a living person into a _thing?_

Snively watched until Knuckles tired and stilled.

"It's really quite a remarkable bit of engineering," he said coolly. "I wonder sometimes what it must be like. I serve Robotnik quite wholeheartedly, and yet these creations outdo me in loyalty a thousand times over. What must it be like to have no doubts about your purpose, to be utterly dedicated, utterly obedient?"

"A slave!" Knuckles spat.

Snively shook his head. "A slave is a living creature, forced to bend their will to another. These _have_ no will of their own to be made to submit. They simply _are_." He beckoned to the cat-thing. "And so much more productive. This one, for example, in her former incarnation was nothing more than a rather stupid little vandal. I believe she was actually arrested for putting up quite juvenile posters denouncing the doctor. But now... Now she would serve without hesitation in the most menial, or most lethal of roles." He pointed at Knuckles and addressed the bot. "Carry out your instructions."

The bot raised both hands together as if it were about to pray. The, quite impassively, it ripped one of them off.

Knuckles jerked back against the swatbots, his heels sliding uselessly on the slick metal floor.

"What is this!" He heard the tremor in his own voice and cursed it, trying to will himself to calm, knowing this was exactly the effect his captors were hoping to create.

Snively looked almost as impassive as the bot. "This is merely a demonstration," he said. "She would destroy herself utterly, if so ordered, but this will suffice for now.

He nodded again at the bot. "Carry on."

Knuckles stared transfixed at the thing as it approached. It held out an arm towards him. Bare wires sparked from the stump of what would have been its wrist. Knuckles tugged futilely against the swatbots holding him. He didn't want that thing near him for more irrational reasons than simple fear of another shock.

But there was nowhere to go. The thing reached out and grasped his shoulder. Blank faced and red-eyed, it raised that mangled stump and almost gently, touched his face. Knuckles screamed and didn't know if it was pain or horror that made him do so.

* * *

"Roboticisation?" Sally shook her head. "I doubt it. Robotnik wants information, he won't get it that way, any more than he'd get it if he killed him. No free will means no sense of self, means no memory. Besides, the installation doesn't seems particularly portable."

Bunnie grimaced. "Small mercies."

"I'll take as many of those as we can get." Sally slowed, and dropped to a crouch before a low ridge. She fished binoculars from her pack and bellied up to the ridge to look over.

"The ship's there alright. Looks like he's getting settled. Lots of bots out on the surface. Looks like a fairly typical perimeter patrol."

"And we've dealt with those before." Bunnie smiled. "What about an escape route once we get back out. The way we've come had good cover, but rough going. We won't get over it fast, and Knuckles was injured before he even went in."

Sally scanned the area again. "He may know a way," she suggested, but frowned. "Not that I want to leave that to luck." She frowned "The cliffs over there might work, this place seems riddled with caves. We don't have time to waste exploring though."

She drummed her fingers. "No. Unless Knuckles has a definite route, we stick to what we know. We come back this way and trust to being able to lose any pursuit."

Bunnie nodded and reached for the binoculars to see for herself. "We hanging on for sunset?"

Sally chewed her lip. "I don't like waiting, not knowing what's going on." She sighed. "But, yes, that's when our chances are best.

* * *

Sonic also was lamenting not knowing what was going on. In his case though it was because he was currently dangling upside down, staring into the darkness. One ankle was still twisted in the remains of a bridge that had failed spectacularly to do its job. It would be undignified in the extreme to escape all the various more lethal traps only to be done in by a length of rotted rope.

He couldn't reach the Ring in his backpack and was reluctant to struggle in case the precarious loop of rope currently between him and a long drop actually gave, but he could hardly simply wait here either. He creatively cursed all paranoid echidnas and then gently began to swing back and forth. After a several false starts he managed to grab the remains of the opposite side of the bridge and pull himself to solid ground.

He proceeded with slightly more caution along the dim tunnel, until the smell of damp started to give way to something else.

Sonic wrinkled his nose.

"Sulphur?"

The tunnel walls were dry now and even slightly warm to the touch although the gradient of the path was a steady downwards slope.

Sonic's eyes were pretty good in the darkness, but not quite good enough to stop him stumbling as his feet met an unseen dip in the rough floor. He squinted downwards. The hole he had stumbled into was only one of a litter of pockmarks in the floor and he started to pick his way carefully across them, still watching his feet. As he stared he suddenly became away of an increasing heat and the faintest of red lights emanating from the holes. His eyes widened and he abandoned caution and put on an instant burst of speed. A roaring filled his ears, not merely the rush of air past him at speed, but deeper and more menacing. He spun round as his feet left the pocked area and his knees turned to water as dozens of gouts of flame and steam spouted upwards from each of the holes feet away from where he'd come to a halt.

He would have sagged against the wall in relief except that he was afraid to so much as touch it. Warily, he pressed on. The heat and the descent continued until the roaring of the lava geysers was out of earshot and a new sound became audible. A low grinding murmur, like ice under pressure. Sonic looked around frantically for the source, wondering what could be coming next, but it wasn't until he looked up the slope behind him that a dull red glow, clued him in.

"Lava!" he yelped aloud, and started running again. He skidded to a stop as the tunnel levelled out in a large cave. Light from n unseen source, filtered in from somewhere up above, illuminating strange formations of black rock. Sonic had seen similar shapes in icicles, frozen streams and waterfalls. To see it in stone -- to know solid rock had melted and flowed to form such shapes -- was eerie and unpleasant and definitely lent an extra urgency to his current situation.

More of that flowing, boiling rock was headed down the tunnel right now. It wasn't especially fast, but neither did it show any particular sign of stopping before it reached him and there was a conspicuous lack of any other exit. Boiling rock would fill this cave.

Sonic looked up at the sheer walls, scanning for any trace of grip he might use to scramble up. Nothing. There _were_ places where he might squeeze a fingertip or toe among the twisting, frozen flows, and stalactites, but the rock was smooth and slick and he had no idea how high he'd have to climb, even if there _was_ an escape somewhere up there.

He looked back at the lava flow. There was a certain amount of debris being carried along in it. Whole boulders in fact. Precarious perhaps, but a chance, and a a better one than climbing offered. Sonic took a step back as the lava started to fill the last of the space in the cave, and leapt onto one of the floating rocks. It wobbled but stayed upright. He fidgeted, the heat uncomfortable. The boulder drifted and banged against the rock wall of the cavern as the lava rose. Sonic flailed, his balance disrupted. He spotted another rock, floating in a clearer area near the centre of the cave and leaped for that.

He tried not to think about what would happen if the lava reached the top of the cave before a better alternative to this game of hopscotch presented itself. The heat and the sulphur stink were overpowering, but he glimpsed a possible out. A hint of a darker shape on the cave wall. A tunnel. Maybe.

Too far to jump though.

Or at any rate, too far to jump without help.

Sonic grinned. He had help.

He reached for his backpack. The Power Ring was glowing fiercely now and Sonic almost hesitated to use it, uncertain of this new factor.

But the lava rose towards dark spot in the wall and there was no more time. Sonic mentally crossed his fingers, clutched the Ring and leapt. The power rush caught him in mid-leap and he crowed at the familiar high. He cleared the distance easily and landed, already running in the passageway. He raced through the twists and turns of it, skipping and leaping though the next set of traps and pitfalls with barely a moment's pause.

All of a sudden, he knew exactly which way to go.


	6. Chapter 6

Darkness had come quickly to the Floating Island and Robotnik's flying fortress was ringed in reddish light. The eyes of the swatbots, their most visible feature in the low light.

Sally and Bunnie crept silently from rock to rock, hiding in the slightest of cover and trusting to the darkness and their timing of the patrollers route. They froze as a bot turned in their direction, barely breathing until it swept its unblinking gaze past them and paced onwards.

Bunnie hissed through her teeth at the close call, but Sally was busy looking at the base of the ship. She consulted Nicole and then pointed.

"Pressurisation vent," she whispered. "We hole it there, we're into the air duct system." She swung her pack off her back and measured out a small amount of plastic explosive. "Wait here until you see it blow. 30 seconds."

With that she was off and moving. Bunnie watched the back of the guard and scanned for the approach of the next one. Ready to call out or leap into the attack, if the timing should be off.

Sally ducked into the shadow at the base of the ship and seemed almost to disappear there. Bunnie counted the seconds until there was a muffled crump of explosive detonating, then held her breath. If the guards hadn't been _quite_ far enough away...

But there was no alarm, no running feet, and she moved from her hiding place and dashed across to the patch of shadow that was Sally.

"Nice," she grinned.

Sally gestured into the opening. "In we go then."

* * *

Knuckles had come to a decision. He suspected it was not the one which the display of the horribly changed young cat had been meant to induce, but it was made. He hoped his resolve wasn't too obvious to the watching camera. He sat slumped against the wall, hoping he looked suitably defeated.

In truth 'exhausted and miserable" wasn't hard to fake at the moment.

There were three ways this could pan out, and escape, the only truly satisfactory one, seemed the least likely. If that failed, he fervently hoped to be able to contrive being killed in the attempt. The third option, that he would be recaptured alive, was the worst possible scenario. If it came to that he would--

--The door opened, and further plans died in the making as Knuckles flew at Snively before he even entered the doorway. He barrelled into him and they both tumbled into the corridor as the swatbots brought their weapons to bear, but could not distinguish a clear target at which to fire.

"Tell them not to shoot!" Knuckles shouted, one hand shaking Snively by the collar, the other at his throat. "If I die, you come with me."

"They won't kill you!" Snively gasped. "You're wanted alive." His tone dropped into a wheedling, manipulative whine. "Or _close_ to alive. Upright and moving, certainly..."

Knuckles suppressed a shudder that threatened to make him lose his grip.

"More swatbots will be coming," Snively said, "They'll have seen on the camera."

Knuckles glanced back at the cell.

"They won't aim to kill," Snively repeated.

Knuckles met his eyes levelly, though the effort of maintaining his self control turned his voice into a snarl.

"I will."

Abruptly, he hauled Snively upright. "You wondered about loyalty? Well here's your chance to test your own. Do you really believe you are expendable as you claim? Once those reinforcements arrive, you will be. I'll have no incentive not to finish you off before I get taken." Knuckles threw a glance towards the two bots still keeping their weapons trained on the pair, then looked back at Snivelly. "Does your loyalty extend to dying in order to keep me alive as a prisoner?"

Snively was quaking, looking anxiously from swatbots, the camera, and the corridor.

"I..." he started.

"Tell me the way out." Knuckles said. "Tell them to stand down."

"I can't order the others, I can't stop them chasing you." Snively was all but gibbering now.

"Tell _these_ two!"

"I..." Snively closed his eyes, then, "Lower your weapons!" he snapped. "Hatch B is the closest. Straight down this corridor, two rights and all the way to the end."

He spun away as Knuckles released him. "But you'll never make it!"

Knuckles didn't stop to listen to the threats, and instead threw all his remaining energy into walking as fast as he could. Running was not an option, only teeth-gritted willpower was keeping his injured knee moving under him. A blast shot past, close enough to singe fur. If that was the swatbots' idea of non-lethal, he might not live to be recaptured after all. The thought was not as comforting as it might have been back in his cell.

Suddenly a new alarm started sounding, a wild siren over the top of the crashing metallic boots, and laser fire. The walls and floor started to rumble. Knuckles rounded a corner and was charged headlong by Sally, who staggered backwards into Bunnie. Knuckles himself landed on his backside, winded.

He stared at the pair as he struggled back to his feet. He'd been on the point of trusting them. What were they doing here? Did they still want the Emeralds badly enough to come for him here? Where was the hedgehog?

"What's going on?" he demanded.

Bunnie scratched at an ear, looking abashed even in the midst of the chaos around them.

"Uh, we came to rescue you, hun."

Knuckles glanced over his shoulder and ducked as another blast skimmed past.

"Great job," he snapped. "Run! Next right then right again and out."

Sally shook her head urgently. "We came that way. It's swarming with swatbots, and I think we've just lifted off!"

Knuckles groaned. "Great job," he muttered again. He looked up and down the corridor, slammed a fist experimentally against the wall, leaving only the mildest of dents.

"I will _not_ be taken prisoner again." Slowly he turned to face the oncoming bots. Sally and Bunnie stepped up behind him to cover the opposite direction.

"Sorry," Sally said quietly.

* * *

The energy from the Power Ring faded and Sonic slowed, taking in his new surroundings. There was an odd, blue-green light here, which seemed to be accompanied by a low hum. Sonic paused to listen. Not a hum. Not a sound at all. An odd feeling, like a finger on a wine glass, without the sound. He fidgeted then walked on.

The tunnel branched and twisted here, but he didn't hesitate. That non-sound, that feeling was as good as a beacon although he was no longer certain why he was following it.

The rough rock walls gave way, almost imperceptibly to dressed stone blocks, then fluted pillars and arches. The light brightened. The air was redolent with an indefinable energy, like and yet unlike the buzz from the Power Rings. Sonic knew he was close.

Finally a door barred his way. Tall, and cast of a green-speckled metal, Sonic half expected it to swing open at his touch, so _right_ was the feeling of power surrounding him, but even a hard push failed to move it.

Sonic backed away, there was a clear solution to this. He bent in a racer crouch, then bounded, spinning at the door. It gave more easily than its imposing design would have suggested and Sonic hurtled through. He had a brief impression of bright light, colour, and spinning gemstones before he was in the midst of them and the power he had sensed crashed over him.

++_On the flying fortress Knuckles froze in mid-strike, his mouth dropping open.++_

"Wh..." Sonic gasped, but the single syllable was all he managed as the sensation and the energy filled him in wave after wave until he could barely think. He stared at his own hands as they started to shine, gold like the Power Rings, brilliant fierce light, like that which surrounded him.

Distantly he tried to remember why he had come here, what had this been for. Distantly an image came to him. Robotnik. Yes. This power must be kept from him at all costs. He must be stopped, and now, he could be. Easily. Obliterated with one blow. Sonic had no doubt of it. This power was too great for anyone to withstand. With this he could wipe Robotnik's stain from the planet.

But the power was still flowing in, still overwhelming his senses, becoming painful in its intensity. The sensation built and built. No one had warned him of this. This was too much. This was... Another image. The echidna. He'd talked about the power. He'd known. He hadn't stopped him, hadn't warned him. He'd wanted it only for himself. After Robotnik, he was next.

SuperSonic launched himself upwards, burst through the chambers roof and rose from the volcano's slopes to streak across the night sky, like a comet.


	7. Chapter 7

"We need to get out of here!" Knuckles yelled, spinning away from the bot he'd been attacking. "We need to get off this ship _now!_"

"No kidding?" Sally snapped. She had wrenched a weapon from a crushed swatbot and was vainly attempting to hold off three more with it.

Knuckles fought his way closer. "You don't know how much worse it is going to get." He grabbed her arm. "The hedgehog is coming, and he has no idea what he is doing."

"I'd say that was fairly typical, except that..." At the expression on Knuckles' face, Sally stopped. "What is it?"

Knuckles opened his mouth to say he didn't have time for explanations, when the point was made for him. The whole ship gave an almighty lurch, spilling everyone, swatbots and animal alike, to the floor.

A metal wall peeled open like tin foil and a near-blinding light spilled through. In the centre of it, floated a startlingly altered figure of a hedgehog. Eyes red, spines golden and wearing a manic grin.

"Sonic...?" Sally said hesitantly.

"Not exactly," muttered Knuckles. He stepped forward, firmly pushing Sally to the side and behind. His nerves twanged with the wrongness of what the hedgehog had done, and this weird, uncontrolled distortion of the Emeralds' power.

"If you have any understanding left, you can let this go." He spoke slowly. There was no predicting the hedgehog's reaction in this state. Speaking up at all was dangerous. But he had to try. In his mind the Master screamed, the Seven thrashed and flailed, their power cut loose from the stabilising force, dragged hither and thither by the tumbled, wild emotions of the hedgehog drawing on them. Knuckles' own body cried out for him to draw the Master's energy to himself, the only defence which might work against this threat. The threat he existed to contain, the reason a Guardian was always needed. He resisted the urge to channel it. The power was there now. Ready and waiting. But an Emerald-charged fight between the two of them here and now would destroy this ship and everyone on it. Behind him, Sally and Bunnie watched, stricken with shock.

"Control is a more powerful tool, than Chaos." Knuckles poured all his powers of persuasion into his words. All his belief in what was right. "Choice is the ultimate control. Your friend Sally knows that. She chose to let me go. Chose to put a stop to distrust, chose to leave. You can choose, to give this up. This does not have to be the only way." He held out a hand to the glowing hedgehog. "I can control this. You cannot. But you can choose to let me take it from you." He took a step forward.

There was a pause, then a strange sound came from the golden hedgehog which Knuckles didn't immediately recognise as laughter.

"Robotnik first," spat the hedgehog, then turned and flew away from them, leaving a trail of torn metal and holed bulkheads in his wake.

Knuckles sagged, half surprised to be still alive. He quickly straightened.

"What's happened to him?" Sally asked, wide-eyed and pale.

Knuckles shook his head. "We need to get out of here. I can stop him, but we need to get down to the ground. It's too dangerous up here. If it goes wrong..."

"But what's happened?" Sally persevered, as they picked their way towards the torn hole in the side, the way littered with broken bots.

"No one ever believes me when I say the Emeralds are dangerous," Knuckles said through a grimace, having resorted to leaning on Bunnie for support. "Your purpose for using them doesn't _matter_. Control is what matters, and you cannot simply take that like some bauble."

He pointed at the hole, through which the wind whipped. The ground was a a good thousand feet below them, discernible in the dark only by the glow from the trickling lavastreams, and it was getting further away with every second.

Bunnie clung to the tattered metal edge and peered out. "Any ideas?"

"One," said Knuckles grimly, stepping closer to the gaping tear. "Get behind me. Sally, hold on to me. Bunnie, hold onto Sally. Hold tight."

"What are you going to..."

Sally's question ended in a gasp as Knuckles pitched forward out of the hole, arms and legs spread wide to steady himself in the abrupt free-fall. There was a confused jumble of clutching limbs before the two girls sorted themselves out into someone more or less resembling a piggyback ride.

Knuckles flared his spines and slowed them. It was still a faster descent than he'd have liked, the extra weight was not making things easy and his back and neck were already protesting. On the plus side it beat hobbling and it was unlikely either Robotnik or the out of control hedgehog would immediately realise where they'd gone.

"Sonic!" yelled Sally.

_Unless someone bellowed it out of course_, Knuckles corrected himself wearily. He twisted awkwardly to see the flying fortress disappear in flames over the edge of the Island, and the golden hedgehog burst upwards from it and turn towards them.

Knuckles increased his rate of descent. This was going to be a rough landing, but at least they'd be down. He hit the ground in a barely controlled belly flop. Sally and Bunnie rolled clear and he staggered giddily to his feet, trying to focus on the position of the hedgehog.

He took several deep breaths, and forced himself to calm. Desperate he might be, but fear and anger he couldn't afford. Control. Control was the key. He reached out. The power came in a rush as though the Master itself was eager for the change. Knuckles fought it and won, channelling the energy, changing it, making it a part of himself. The light began at his chest, his heart, and radiated out until he glowed, as bright or brighter than the advancing hedgehog.

Shadows danced strangely on the ground in the flickering light. Sally and Bunnie leapt backwards, alarm in their faces at the change but Knuckles knew his own strength and was firmly in control.

"Find cover," he said shortly. "If I fail he may come after you. It won't last, but while it does he's dangerous. Keep away from him."

Sally nodded grimly, still looking shocked and scared. Knuckles looked up, clocked the position of the hedgehog in the sky, and leapt.

* * *

SuperSonic plunged toward the trio below him. Two of them were already running from him and he exulted in the rush of air, of the sheer speed and glory. He thought he'd known speed before. He'd been wrong. This was speed, this was power, this was everything he'd ever wanted, ever dreamed, and it was his, and there was more to come.

Robotnik had been trivial to deal with. Almost a waste of the immense energy at his disposal. The echidna on the other hand... Rising to meet him. Shining almost as brightly as himself. That was different. That might actually be a challenge worthy of his interest.

Straight as an arrowshot the echidna flew towards him. So simple, so obvious. The hedgehog laughed for joy and for fury and twisted in the air until the stars spun. He slipped easily past the echidna, and dropped on him from behind. Fingers scratching and curling, grasping, throttling, closing on his enemy's throat. Even like this, even gleaming with bright, beautiful power, the echidna had to breathe. Had to suck in that high, cold, delicious air, now being denied him. The hedgehog dragged him higher still, relishing the spasming struggles that proved he was the stronger. He could not see what must surely be despair on the echidna's face, but heightened senses let him feel the jump of his opponent's pulse beneath his fingers. Ragged now. Failing.

Then, suddenly, impossibly, the echidna's hands closed on his wrists. Prising his arms apart. Dragging his grasping hands from his throat. Spreading his own arms and guiding them both downwards once more. Back towards the torn surface of the volcano's slopes. Back to where he'd come into his own, and this would not do at all! SuperSonic hissed in rage and tugged and yanked at the echidna's grip. How dare he be so calm! How dare he think he could simply end this back where it began. Defeat, if it came, would not be this dark, silent glide back to earth. Defeat came in fire and noise and destruction. What else was such power for? This was not right!

He struggled viciously and had almost freed one hand, when, through his spitting fury, he heard what it was the echidna was saying with his voice so maddeningly calm.

"You do not understand the nature of control. Control is not power. The Master does not control the Seven. It channels them, harnesses them, charges them. Control is not about that. Control requires conciousness. Control is the power to _stop_."

There was a blinding light and a sudden, crippling sense of loss. Briefly the image of seven glowing gemstones dancing in the sky around SuperSonic. Then they were gone, and he was gone, and only an exhausted blue hedgehog remained, draped across the back of a glowing Guardian, drifting slowly back to the shadowed ground.

Sonic grunted as they hit the ground and looked around in dazed confusion. His head hurt and he ached, and when he looked at Knuckles, the echidna seemed to be flickering. Sonic blinked rapidly and shook his head and when he looked again the effect had stopped.

Sonic frowned. The echidna had been trying to persuade him of something?

Or... They'd been fighting? No. He'd been fighting Robotnik. He frowned. You think he'd remember whether he'd won or lost that one. He'd fallen?

Knuckles offered no explanations and by now Sally and Bunnie were running towards them. From the gaping hole in the ground, Dulcy stuck her nose out. "Um, is everyone alright?" She climbed out to join them.

Sonic pressed his fingers to his temples. "I'm going to take Bunnie's line here and ask 'What the heck just happened?'"

"Sonic!" Sally flung her arms around him and hugged him fiercely before letting go and turning to Knuckles.

"Thank you," she said, leaving Sonic more perplexed still.

Knuckles inclined his head once in brief acknowledgement, and looked at Sonic.

"You attempted to use the power of the Chaos Emeralds," he stated flatly. "I need hardly add that it was an unmitigated disaster."

Bunnie was looking at the trail of white smoke marking where Robotnik had disappeared.

"Maybe not entirely," she murmured. "Robotnik _is_ gone..."

Sonic frowned. "Why don't I remember?"

Knuckles shrugged. "It generally happens that way. Stress maybe. The mind protecting itself. I'm sure your friends can fill you in on the salient details. As Bunnie points out, you may well have killed Robotnik. You then decided to follow up that little triumph by killing me."

Knuckles' hand went absently to his throat and Sonic's frown deepened.

"What did you do with to the Chaos Emeralds?" Sally asked.

Knuckles' head snapped round quickly. "They are safe."

"And the Master Emerald?"

Knuckles folded his arms. "Go looking for an answer to that question and we are still enemies."

Sally raised her hands. "No," she said firmly. "No. Enough mistakes have been made. You were right. The Emeralds are too dangerous. For any purpose."

Sonic rubbed his head again. "Certainly something that'd need a bit more practice," he mumbled.

Knuckles turned away. "My whole life is 'practice'. It always has been."

"Guardian," Sally said, stepping up beside him, and adopting her most formal tone. "Before... this happened, you had offered to lower the Island to allow us to leave..."

Knuckles faced her. "I had considered it. I seem to recall I feared an attack from the surface if I did so."

Sally shook her head. "There will be no attack."

Knuckles inclined his head again, his formality matching Sally's own. "I believe you. Pick a spot. Somewhere remote. I do not wish the Island to be seen. I would also take it as a courtesy, if you let the stories about this place... remain stories."

Sally nodded. "That might be difficult," she said. "We don't really know if Robotnik survived.

"He does have a habit of managing it!" Sonic put in.

"If he has," Knuckles said, "Then we have a common enemy."

Sally nodded. "And if that's so, will we see you again?"

Knuckles looked up at the star-filled sky, and fading smoke.

"Perhaps."

* * *

Nicole had supplied the location and in the early morning light, Knuckles crouched at the edge of the Island with one hand brushing the ground, fingers twined in the stringy grass. Water lapped a few feet away as the Island drifted toward the shore in response to something that was less than a command, more than a thought.

The others stood close behind him as the Island came to a stop, settling beside a sheer outcrop where the land fell steeply into the sea.

"How does that work?" Sally asked, her voice filled with curiosity.

Knuckles picked up a small, smooth pebble and, straightening, tossed it to her.

"How did you catch that?"

Sally turned the pebble over in her hands. After a moment she smiled.

"Just like that?"

Sonic looked from one to the other.

"I don't get it."

Sally threw him the pebble. "You surprise me."

Sonic pulled a face and lobbed the stone into the clear water.

"So, we done here then?"

Sally was still watching Knuckles.

"I think we are," she said and held out her hand. Knuckles looked at it for a moment, slightly uncertainly before shaking it cautiously.

"Bye bye, sugar," Bunnie added, also sticking out her hand. Knuckles took it though he couldn't help casting a look at the _other_ hand, now unable to avoid wondering how that had happened.

But Bunnie smiled and released his hand as though she hadn't noticed and hesitantly he smiled back.

Dulcy,on the other hand, looked him up and down, her wing still curled against her side before saying, "Hmm, no hard feelings then."

Knuckles dipped his head and glanced at his own injuries. "No," he said. "No point. Sometimes there are no good choices." He looked at Sonic and his voice grew wry. "We don't always know what we're doing."

"Yeah yeah," Sonic muttered, then shrugged. "Well, thanks, I guess. Even if I don't really remember what for." He grinned suddenly. "Looks like one or the other of us gave Robuttnik and Snively a butt-kicking anyway so that's a win!"

_For now,_ Knuckles thought, but didn't stay it aloud. After all, his battles were different ones and _for now, _was always the best he could ever expect.

He watched as the four surface dwellers scrambled from the Island to solid ground. He watched as _they _watched, as the Island rose back into the sky, until faces were blurred by distance and eventually even the figures themselves were lost from view.

Knuckles turned from the edge and looked up the slope to where the volcano steamed gently in the cool dawn air. He never had checked on it. That would be his first job.

Slowly, he climbed the hill towards the caves, in Angel Island's silent morning.

++END++


End file.
